Toy exerciser



Aug. 28, 1962 L. M. HARPHAM TOY EXERCISER Filed Jan. 4, 1960 INVENTOR, LAWRENCE M I/ARPHA ArroR/vEY United States Patent 3,051,482 TOY EXERCISER Lawrence M. Harpham, 9460 Acacia St., Fontana, Calif. Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 374 1 Claim. (Cl. 27280) The present invention relates broadly to toys, and particularly to a toy exerciser which is attractive to children.

The present toy exerciser does not require for its operation any strenuous muscular activity. Primarily the toy exerciser is adaptable for small children who wish to run, jump and indulge in other movements without requiring too much skill to operate the exerciser.

An object of the present invention is a toy exerciser adapted to afford amusement, exercise and entertainment for small children.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the exerciser worn by a child and indicative of movements obtained in the exerciser by the child;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the exerciser of the invention and on an enlarged scale from that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, partially sectional view of one portion of the exerciser; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a corner of the exerciser, the same being on an enlarged scale from the showing of FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the primary concept of the exerciser resides in the provision of four elongated tubes 1, 2, 3, and 4, formed of any suitable material which may be plastic, a metal, or other material, and which tubes in the present instance, are interconnected at their ends by coil springs 5, 6, 7, and 8. The construction may be quite simple as illustrated in FIGURE 4, with ends of each coil spring passed through holes adjacent the ends of the tubes, FIGURE 4 being representative of adjacent ends of two tubes. Thus, as shown, the tubes 1 and 3 are substantially parallel as are likewise tubes 2 and 4, the tubes 2 and 4 being in right angular re lationship to tubes '1 and 3. This right angular relationship may change dependent upon the character of play. A belt 9 is centered relative to the tube arrangement, this belt being of ordinary construction and provided with a buckle 10 whereby the belt may be placed around 3,051,482 Iatented Aug. 28, 1962 the waist of the child and secured, as shown in FIGURE 1. Radially extending at equidistant points of the belt for joinder to the tubes intermediate the length thereof, are coil springs 11, 12, 13, and 14. In the present instance, these springs are of spiral helical form with one end of each spring secured to the belt and the opposite end of each spring passed through a hole in a tube, as shown in FIGURE 3. The construction of FIGURE 3 is followed for each spring and tube.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows.

The belt 9 is passed around the waist of the child and secured by the buckle 10. The device, by being unsupported, may tend to move downwardly so far as the tubes are concerned, being restrained in movement by the springs 11 to 14 inclusive. However, when the child starts to jump up and down, it is obvious that the rods will likewise move upwardly and downwardly, as shown for different positions of said movement in FIGURE 1 at 15, and 16, and likewise indicated by the two direction arrows at 17 and 18. This movement may be complicated by twisting the body with the result that various and sundry movements occur in the exerciser depending upon the ingenuity of the child and by reaction of the springs 5 to 8 inclusive, and 11 to 14 inclusive. It is obvious that no particular skill is required to maintain motion of the toy exerciser, as the exerciser is secured about the Waist through the medium of the belt 9. The exerciser is harmless, need not be heavy, and to a child afiords amusement.

I claim:

A toy exerciser including: a belt, spiral helical springs, the base ends of which are secured to the belt and extend radially from the belt in equidistantly spaced relation: ship, rods forming an enclosure, the apex end of each helical spring being secured to a rod intermediate the length thereof, and springs interconnecting adjacent ends of the rods forming the enclosure. I 4

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,112 Woolley May 3, 1881 2,107,377 Howland Feb. 8, 1938. 2. 9 9 3 red 

